Chapter 14

We flew towards the water facility - five great horned owls, three barn owls, a tawny owl and a red-tailed hawk. Tobias was out in front, showing us the way. I felt a little bad that he didn't have an owl morph like the rest of us; hawks are daytime fliers and don't take too well to the night sky when there are no thermals and his eyesight wasn't too good.

--That's the place, down there,-- Tobias called, after a half hour of flying. I looked down towards the ground. We were about a hundred feet up, and there was very little light from the streets now we were out in the suburbs, but my vision was incredible. The owl could see everything as if it was lit up by stadium lights. Darkness meant nothing to me. For all the owl could have cared, it was midday.

--It looks like that big warehouse-like building to the east is the main facility,-- said Sam, swooping downwards for a better look. I spilled some air from under my wings and dived down, taking in every detail of the facility. There was a large building resembling offices, surrounds by a series of smaller buildings. There was a great deal of complicated looking pipework, snaking its way systematically to a series of large, round chemical pools. Further out, near the highway, was a huge rectangular reservoir. The whole place was surrounded by a single barbed wire fence, beyond which were fields to the north and woods to the south.

--There's a security guard down by the main gate,-- Tobias said. --He doesn't look too alert. Mainly, he just looks bored.--

--Security shouldn't be much of a problem,-- I said.

--Oh yeah?-- said Marco. --What about the two guys down there with guns?--

--What? They have guns?-- asked Rachel, perking up. --They've gotta be Controllers then.--

--I agree,-- said Philip. --Normal guards don't use rifles like that to guard a water facility, unless there was something else going on.--

--So, what do we do now?-- asked Cassie. --Demorph within or outside the perimeter?--

--I think everyone who's coming with me as bugs should morph inside the perimeter,-- I said. --It's a bit of a trek from the other side of the fence to the main building. Everyone else, you can stay in the woods and morph wolf or stay as owl.--

--Flawless and Maggie? We should demorph and remorph to reset the two-hour limit,-- said Sam. --You too, Cassie,-- she added, sounding a little awkward that she was giving instructions to a member of my team.

--Good idea,-- said Cassie understandingly.

--Right then,-- I said. --Let's do this. Philip, Rachel, Marco and Ax: on me. Everyone else, stick with Sam. We'll try and keep in contact by thought-speak, but I don't know how far the limits will stretch, so try not to panic if you don't hear anything from us after a while.--

The five of us flew silently, unseen, over the facility, looking for somewhere near to the main entrance to demorph, leaving the others to demorph in safety of the trees.

--Down behind that smaller building over there,-- I instructed. --I can't see any cameras or guards. We should be ok.--

We dropped down behind the building and started to demorph. Soon, there were four human kids and an Andalite looking stupidly out of place among the dirty pipes.

"Bugs, then," I said, focusing on the cockroach inside me. "Once we're fully morphed, we'll make our way through that ventilation system by the main door. Philip, since you are going fly, you might have to show us the way from the air. It's not too easy to see where you're going when your eyes are a millimeter from the ground."

"Sure," said Philip, as began to shrink. Philip is quite a fast morpher, although no where near as fast as Cassie. Still, he was halfway through his morph before I'd even started to shrink myself.

"This is one gross morph," said Marco, as his skin began to turn brown and hard, like tough, shiny plastic. "I mean, would you take a look at my face? What's with this things' eyeballs?"

--I think it's an improvement,-- said Rachel, who had already lost her human mouth and was now having to use thought-speak. --The coloring really suits you.--

"Yeah, well maybe I'll sign up to model the new Calvin Klein range," he muttered. We all laughed nervously, apart from Ax, who obviously had no idea what we were talking about.

When we were all morphed, I sent a thought-speak message to Sam, confirming that she could still hear us.

--Loud and clear,-- she replied. --I can see you, as a matter of fact. If you get lost, I'll let you know where to go.--

--Thanks,-- replied Philip. --We're planning to enter through that ventilation shaft by the main door.--

--Good luck, guys!-- called Maggie, who would be morphing wolf along with Cassie.

We scuttled over the concrete towards the shaft, keeping the main building close by. Our eyesight wasn't great - we couldn't make out much more than what was a few feet in front of us - and we couldn't afford to stray out into the car park. Philip, as a fly, flew a few centimeters above us. It was about ten or so meters from where we'd demorphed, but we covered the ground quickly. Roaches can pick up some speed when they want, and it felt to my human mind that I was driving a racing car at top speed.

--Ok, guys, you're right below the shaft,-- said Sam. --It's about twenty centimeters above you, embedded in the wall.--

--That's the equivalent of a five-story building to us, then,-- said Marco dryly.

--Would you for once quit being such a pessimist?-- said Rachel.

--Hey,-- retorted Marco. --We're going into a sewage facility. Sewage. Any idea what makes up sewage, Rachel? It's not exactly going to be an art gallery in there. And I hope for your sake you're not wearing your best morphing outfit.--

--Look,-- I said, trying to stop the two of them squabbling. --We're just looking around the main building. We probably won't even go anywhere near the pipes. Besides, this is just a water pump, not a treatment plant. Most of the water will be fairly clean.--

--Yeah right, Jake,-- said Marco. --You obviously don't believe that, or you wouldn't have had us all acquire rat morphs.--

--I just had everyone acquire them just in case we needed them,-- I said. --I don't actually plan on using them to wade through the city's…you know.--

--What is the purpose of this facility?-- asked Ax. --I sense its' function causes you humans a great deal of distress.--

--We're just being picky,-- I said to him. --It's not like it's dangerous or anything.--

--Just really, really gross,-- said Marco.

--Are we gonna get inside, or what?-- asked Rachel impatiently. --We're not going to get anything done by hanging around outside all night.--

--You just want to pick a fight with a Hork-Bajir,-- said Marco.

--Yeah, Rachel's right,-- I said, ignoring him. --Philip? You want to go first?--

--Absolutely,-- he said. I felt a movement of air above me, as Philip buzzed into the shaft. A few second later, I heard his voice.

--Ok, Jake,-- he said. --It's clear to come straight through. There's some kind of grating on this side of the shaft, but there are gaps in it that you can easily slip though.--

--Anyone around?-- I asked.

--Can't see anyone, or hear anyone. These eyes aren't great, but I've had enough practice in it to know that we're probably clear.--

I turned towards the wall and placed one of my six multi-jointed legs against the wall. Then, slipping into the roach's brain, I ran vertically up the brickwork, my claws effortlessly finding every little nook and cranny that I could grab hold of. It was so easy, it was just like I was running across a horizontal path. I knew that if I let go, I would fall backwards on to the ground, but that didn't seem to matter to me. Soon, I had reached the shaft. I entered the space, which, although in reality was probably only a few centimeters wide, seemed like a vast tunnel to me. Quickly, I made my way through the grating on the other side, and plopped down on to the floor inside the building. Soon, I was joined by Rachel, Ax and Marco.

--What do we do now?-- Rachel asked.

--I think we should find somewhere to demorph,-- I said. --There's no one around, and we won't be able to find anything because we can't read any of the signs. Marco and Philip, you two should stay in morph though. We don't need us all to risk being spotted. And you two can fly go ahead of us and check out some of the rooms before we enter.--

--I think it's really creepy that there's no'one about,-- said Rachel, as we made our way into a small room off the main corridor. --Surely, if the Yeerks were up to something, they'd have more guards around.--

--Well, they've got men with guns, Rach,-- said Marco. --I expect most of the Controllers will be hanging about right where the chemical is added.--

--I doubt that, Marco,-- said Ax. --The Yeerks might be expecting us to turn us. They wouldn't post a group of guards right where they are adding the chemical. It would only signal to us where they were carrying out their work. It seems to me that the Yeerks would be more likely just to leave the place protected by means of a password entrance, and possibly some of your primitive security cameras.--

--You can override any password system, right, Ax?-- asked Philip.

--It should not be a problem,-- he replied. --Yeerk security is far more advanced than human technology, but it should still be possible for me to gain entry.--

--You know, you really don't have to include an insult whenever you mention human technology,-- said Marco casually. --Yes a simple 'yes, I can,' will do fine.--

--Now's not the time to get into an argument, Marco,-- I said. --Right. This room looks clear. I can't see any sign of anyone in here. Rachel, Ax? We should demorph. Ax, you go first incase there are any Controllers who need sorting out.--

A few minutes later, I realized that the reason why there was no one in this room was because we were in a very cramped broom-cupboard. It stank of dust, dirt and cleaning fluids.

"Can we get out of here, before Ax chops off my head with his tail blade?" asked Rachel impatiently. "I can't move in this space."

"Yeah, come on, let's go," I said, opening the door under which we'd entered, and stepping out into the corridor. The place was dark and gloomy, lit only by weak fluorescent lighting. The corridor was long and thin, leading round to the left at one end, and forming a T junction at the other. There were a dozen or so rooms leading off it, some doors marks, others not. I scanned the walls, looking out for cameras, but seeing none. I guess the Yeerks weren't afraid of people breaking and entering to steal human waste.

"Come on, let's go this way," I said, walking briskly along to the end of the corridor ending in the left-turn. Philip buzzed, fly formed, in front of us, and Marco scuttled along under foot.

"I'm so tempted to step on you, Marco," said Rachel, peering at his ugly little roach body. "The only reason why I'm not going to is because I'm barefoot."

--Yeah, you wouldn't want to ruin your toe-nail polish, would you?-- he retorted.

We wandered down the corridors for a bit, turning this way and that, not really sure what we were looking for.

"We could do with a map of this place or something," I said. "Blueprints, to find out what is where."

--Bit late for that now,-- said Philip. --We'll just have to rely on the signs so that we don't get lost.--

But the whole place just looked the same. Rows and rows of endless corridors. Plain, unmarked walls. Steel doorways. No landmarks to stick in our minds whatsoever.

"We are so lost," said Rachel. "I swear we've already been down here.

--I do remember seeing that particular sign not too long ago, Prince Jake,-- said Ax, whose hooves were clicking on the hard floor. --I think we must turn right in order to get back to the main entrance.--

"Well, we're not looking for the main entrance, we're looking for something that tells us where the Yeerks are adding the chemical," I muttered.

"Well, where the heck to we go from here?" said Rachel, peering around.

Suddenly,

--Prince Jake! I hear someone!--

"Same here," said Rachel. "They're coming down the corridor!"

"We don't have time to morph," I said. "Quickly! In here!"

I opened the first door I came to, and we piled inside. I kept the door open very slightly, peering out into the corridor.

A middle aged man, maybe in his late forties or fifties, strode purposely past us, talking on a cell phone. I opened the door a crack more, watching as he stopped outside a room.

"Yes, sir," said the guy. "I'm just about to run a system check now. I'll get back to you on the progress."

He ended the call and slipped his cell into his pocket. He looked over his should his a moment, then turned to a small keypad by the door and punched in a code. The door clicked open, and the man stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

"That looked like a Controller," said Rachel. "We should follow him."

"How can you tell?" I asked. "Might have just been some employee."

"He looked too on edge to be a normal guy. Besides, he was carrying a gun in his jacket. It looked like a Dracon beam."

After a few minutes, the guys stepped out of the room and make his way back along the corridors, the way he'd come.

"Let's go," I said, opening the door and letting Rachel and Ax through.